Standing Strong Against Outside Influences in Our Elections

Gilroy Community,

Over the past several days, I’ve faced unexpected challenges in sharing important information with our community. Multiple posts I made on Nextdoor about campaign mailers, local business support, and historical site preservation have been taken down repeatedly—then reinstated and removed again within minutes. This has made it difficult to maintain transparency and ensure that residents are informed.

Because of these obstacles, I am relying on email and other platforms to share the facts directly with you. This is about more than one campaign; it's about keeping our community informed and engaged, regardless of attempts to limit the conversation.

Transparency Matters: Setting the Record Straight

Recent accusations have emerged surrounding campaign ads that targeted the incumbent council candidates: Rebeca Armendariz, Zach Hilton, and Fred Tovar. These ads were funded by the California Taxpayer Protection Committee, based in Elverta, CA, and were created in opposition to these candidates.

The most recent 460 filing from the California Taxpayer Protection Committee indicates that Dion Bracco acted as an intermediary for a donation to the California Taxpayer Protection Committee, as properly documented in the filing memo.

As a candidate who has always prioritized transparency and integrity, I want to address this situation directly and factually. First, I want to acknowledge that I was honored to receive the endorsement of Councilmember Dion Bracco. However, I had no prior knowledge that he acted as an intermediary for funding these negative ads. I even had the opportunity to see Dion over the weekend, during which I shared my concerns directly with him. It’s crucial to note that endorsements do not imply knowledge or approval of an endorser's actions, especially when those actions are not disclosed or made public until now.

A Consistent Stance Against Outside Influence

On October 9th, I promised to look into concerns about outside influences affecting our local election. By October 20th, I had done so and made my findings public: “I want to make it clear where I stand regarding recent digital campaign ads: I am not associated with the negative digital ads that have targeted other candidates in this race. I’ve looked into the matter and found the sources of funding to be buried behind multiple political groups. It’s clear that outside influences are playing a role here.”

This has always been my position, and it remains unchanged. The integrity of our democratic process matters more than any one campaign and I believe that voters deserve full transparency.

My focus has always been on presenting verifiable facts. My commitment is to give residents the full story so they can make informed decisions at the ballot box. I do not condone negative campaigns and I believe these tactics do a disservice to all candidates and to our community.

The Importance of Public Disclosure

This situation highlights why it’s essential to make campaign finance information public. Transparency holds everyone accountable, myself included, and ensures that voters can see who is funding and influencing our elections. It’s not about partisanship or targeting individuals—it’s about integrity.

My Commitment to Gilroy

I promise to continue advocating for transparency and fighting against external influences in our local governance. Our community deserves leadership that stands by these principles, regardless of who benefits or is affected.

With your support, we can achieve meaningful change for Gilroy, grounded in integrity and shared purpose. Let's stay focused on what matters most to the citizens of Gilroy and achieve it together.